Type-writer or analogous key cap.



Patented July 29, [902.

W, B. SAVELL. TYPE WRITER 0R ANALOGOUS KEY GAP.

(App1ic at ion filed Feb. 17, 1902.

(No Model.)

"IIIlIIII/I \VIIIll/Illlll/ IN VEJV TOR wdZZoam/B. Jew/@155 mums cram o0, PHD o, wnsum UNITED STATES It PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SAV ELL, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

TYPE-WRITER OR ANALOGOUS KEY CAP.

SPECIFICATION'fOrming part of Letters Patent No. 705,709, dated July 29, 1902. Application filed February 1'7, 1902. Serial No. 94,466. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern):

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. SAVELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful-Improvements in Type-Writer and Analogous Key Caps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in caps adapted to be fitted to the keys of type-writing machines, cash-registers, and other manually-operated machines on which keys are to be employed which are to be rapidly and oftenstruck by the fingers.

The objects of the invention are essentially to relieve the fingers of the operator from soreness caused by striking the unyielding surface of the keys commonly used on the machines above noted, and, second, to provide a key-cap (whether cushion or otherwise) which is reversible or capable of hav ing its position so altered on the key as to show either a lettered surface or ablank surface t'. e., one devoid of letter or other designating character.

A further object is to provide opposite surfaces of the touch memberof a key-cap with letters or symbols of difierent kind or character, so that when reversed a different keyboard is shown.

The invention consists, essentially, of a touch surface or member to be fitted toand supported above the top of the keys and capable of having its position reversed or changed to present either side uppermost for use as an operating-surface.

It also consists of a removable and reversi-,

ble touch surface or member supported above the top of the key and having one face provided with a designating letter or symbol and an opposite face unlike the first-named face.

It further consists of a reversible touch surface or member supported above the top of the key and having one face provided with a designating letter or symbol and an opposite or reverse face provided with a different character or symbol.

It also consists of a key-cap having a yielding or cushioned touch surface or member supported above the top of the key when in use, said surface or member being capable of reversal to present either face uppermost and one of said surfaces being marked alike or diiferent from the other.

Finally, it consists of the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts which I will hereinafter describe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of myinvention, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a perspective View of a key-cap embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 shows the touch member of Figs. 1 and 2 removed and reversed and devoid of character or symbol. Fig. 4 is a sectional perspective View showing a cap of slightly-modified form. Fig. 5 represents the touch member of Fig. 4 removed and reversed to show a different character on its reverse side. Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the invention applied to the ordinary key of a Remington type-writing machine. reversible touch memberdirectly to a keyhead.

Referring tothe aforesaid drawings, A rep: resents the ordinary key ofa type-writing or similarmanually-operated machine employing a keyboard made up of any desired numberlof said keys, each of which keys usually has a letter or other character that identifies the key with the type on the type-bar, which is connected with the key in the usual orany desired manner. 7

To the key A is fitted a cap which comprises a band or rim B of metal, celluloid, or other desired and appropriate material, which is designed to fit over the key A, said band or rim having an upper edge or flange a turned inward to appropriately engage the touch member 0. This touch member is of a soft yielding character and may be composed of rubber, felt, or other desired material, and it has a circumferential groove b, which is detachably engaged by the aforesaid inturned edge or flange a of the band or rim. Inlaid or otherwise secured in or to the face of the touch member 0 is a letter or symbol D of a color which contrasts from that of the body of the material of which the touch member is composed. As far as described, except for Fig. 7shows the application of the the circumferential groove and the detachability of the touch-surface, the rim or'bancl and the touch member, with its letter or symbol, are not essentially different from what is disclosed in my former patents, No. 504,065, August 29, 1893; No. 532,153, January 8, 1895; No. 551,543, December 17, 1895; Nos. 563,163 and 563,16l, June 30, 1896, and No. 569,196, October 13, 1896.

In the present instance an essential purpose is to make the touch member removable and reversible with letters or symbols alike or unlike on one or both sides. In other words, the present invention contemplates, broadly, a key-cap or touch member, whether of cushion form or otherwise, which may be reversed or so changed as to show either a blank or a lettered surface or two surfaces let tered alike or unlike.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the touch member 0 has a letter in or on one surface 2, the opposite surface 3 being blank, and its circumferential groove is so engaged by the inturned edge or flange of the band or rim that abending or compression of the touch member (the band being removed from the key) will detach the said member, which when reversedsurface d, and supported around the edge of this key is a ring e,which may be of either hard or soft material and whose function is to support the touch member or cushion a suitable distance above the key to provide the space for the cushion effect. This ring 6 is not always essential, as in some instances the depressed center of the key affords enough space to obtain the desired cushion efiect. The same result is also produced when using the form of touch member shown in Fig. 4:, Where the equivalent of the ring is to be found in the bead or flange e, which is molded or otherwise made a part of the touch member. In said Fig. 4. both surfaces of the touch member are provided with letters or symbols, and either surface may be used uppermost.

In Fig. 6 I show the invention applied to theRemington key,where the usual cardboard and glass disks have been removed and my cushioned cap applied, and in Fig. 7 I illustrate the application of .my flexible touch member directly to and forming the touch-surface of another form of key. In these figures (6 and 7) the cardboard and glass disks usually employed are omitted, and their place is taken by the reversible touch member, which is supplied with the character usually carried by the said cardboard disk, said touch memher being put directly on and supported above the top of the key and being not only a substitute for the said disks, but also a cushion, as before described.

The key shown in Fig. 6 is formed'wit-h an inturned flange at the top, which serves for our band B, and the thickness of the block or touch member relative to the height of the said flange above the top of the key proper is such that the bottom of the touch member is held above the top of the key.

The cap or touch member hereinbefore described possesses the cushioned efi ect of my prior patented devices, and from its use flow certain additional advantages, among which may be enumerated the following:

(a) It is simpler and more cheaply manufactured than the cushion-key heretofore devised.

(b) The cushion or yielding touch portion can be more easily removed when worn and replaced with a new one.

(o) The touch member can be reversed to show a blank surface, the shape and appearance otherwise remaining exactly the same. This is a most useful feature where operators desire to become accustomed to writing without seeing the characters on the keys. Ihe operator can reverse oneor two keys at first and later one or two more, continuing this process until the whole keyboard is thus grad-' ually made blank.

(d) The touch member can be made with a character on each side of the same kind, so that should one character become obscured or obliterated a reversal of the member brings a new character to view.

(6') The touch member can be made with different characters on each side, so that when reversed a diiferent keyboard is shown. This is particularly useful for type-writers which have changeable type for writing dif ferent languages and overcomes one of the most annoying features which these typewriter companies have had to contend with in connection with the changing of type, as very rarely does the same keyboard suit more than one language. Again by marking one side of two touch members with a letter or a character frequently used in writing and the other sides with a characterlittle used (for instance, the E and Z) these members can be exchanged when one becomes worn and the one most worn replaced by the other. In this way the set of caps can be made to last nearly twice as long as it otherwise would.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A keycap having a reversible touch member supported above the top of the key when in use.

2. A key-cap having a reversible touch member supported above the top of the key when in use said touch member capable of reversal to bring either side uppermost, and provided with a designating symbol.

3. A key-cap having a touch member sup ported above the top of the key when in use said member capable of reversal to bring either side uppermost and both of said side's having a designating character.

at. A key-cap having a reversible touch member supported above the key when in use I said groove, and means for elevating the unand having a designating character in each der side of the touch member above the top side, one of said characters being difierent surface of the key. from theother. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 5 5. In a device of the character described, my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 15 the combination of a member, as a rim or nesses.

band, a reversible touch member of yielding WILLIAM B. SAVELL. material, one of said members having a pe- Witnesses: ripheral groove and the other member having PEARL FRAY,

10 a projection or flange to detachably engage l CHAS. P. GILLEN. 

